A Not So Horrible Holiday
by theatrefreak10
Summary: Jessa Lawrence McGarrett receives some shocking news! How will she react? More importantly, how will Steve handle it? Jessa (and hopefully all of you, readers) will be in for many surprises and turning points! I highly recommend you read "A Not So Ordinary Life" before reading this!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Sometimes it can feel like you have no break from the awful things in life. It's just one terrible mess after another and it slowly starts to get to you. It had been months since everything had happened; since my parents had died, since Steve had adopted me, and since I had finally come to terms with the fact that I had a father who loved me again.

I had a break from those horrible awful things and I thought that life was finally looking up for me. I smiled at the cheesy family photo hung in my locker. What an odd family I had become apart of, but they were my family and I wouldn't have it any other way.

I closed my locker and turned, coming face to face with my best friend. "Hey, Jake!" I grinned.

"What's got you so smiley?" He raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Life just feels great right now!" I shrugged and began to walk to my next class, "I feel like everything is how it's supposed to be and I couldn't be happier!"

"Not everything is how it's supposed to be." Jake mumbled.

I stopped, grabbing his arm to stop him too, "Jake." My tone was quiet and wary, "You know how I feel. I don't want to ruin our friendship."

He rolled his eyes, "We won't ruin our friendship! We're just going to grow into something more from here."

I sighed and began walking again. I wasn't ready to become something more with Jake. I wanted to in the worst way, but I couldn't. I couldn't afford to lose my best friend. "Jake, please, can we just not focus on this right now."

"Sure, whatever. I have to get to class. Later, Jessa." Jake called over his shoulder.

I shook my head and let out a mangled breath. I walked into my drama class and found Lacey already sitting in our corner. She smiled as our eyes met and I took my seat next to her.

"You look like you just went through war." She joked.

"What?"

A small laugh came from her, "Your face has the I'm so devastated, I have lost all my friends in battle look."

I nodded, "Jake."

"Oh, I see! He still won't leave you alone about the whole dating thing?" Lacey asked.

I shook my head just as the bell rang. Our director was gone for the day so that meant we were supposed to just focus on character work for the one act play we were doing. It was a fairytale play about bullies and ogres. It had many iconic fairytale characters like the Little Old Lady who lived in a shoe or Little Bo Peep. I played Jill, a sassy princess.

I was just about to do an improvisation act with Lacey to get into character when a knock sounded at the door. All of our heads turned as in walked my dad. He searched the room until his eyes landed on me and a grin lit up his face.

I walked over, "Dad, what are you doing here?"

"Grab your stuff, we're leaving." Dad's grin never left his face as he turned and walked out the door.

I furrowed my eyebrows, but did as I was told. Lacey gave me a questioning look and I shrugged. I pulled my backpack on and went out the classroom door. "Dad, what's going on?"

"What? I can't surprise you at school and let you leave early for no reason?" He asked, still smiling.

"Well, of course you can, but you've never done it before." I stated.

Dad nodded, "I wanted to spend time with my daughter. We just wrapped up a pretty awful case and I thought it'd be nice to see you other than just for an hour or two."

I tried to not let my smile be too cheesy, but that made me really happy and giddy. "You want to spend time with me?" The question was out before I could stop it.

"Always! Why wouldn't I?" He asked as we stopped by his truck.

I shrugged, "I don't know. You've just been super busy lately and well, you have Catherine back. I thought you'd want to spend your time with her. Don't get me wrong, I'm not upset about that."

"I will spend time with her, later. She's working with Five-O right now so I saw her a lot. I haven't been able to see you quite as often and I wanted to spend time with you. You're my number one priority, Jes."

I couldn't help myself as I threw my arms around him. Dad responded by pulling me closer, tightening the hug like only a father can with his daughter. I pulled back and skipped around to the passenger's side of the truck. "So, Dad, what are we going to do?" I asked excitedly.

"Nothing, do we have to do something?" He quirked an eyebrow.

"Oh! No! I just- I thought that-" I stumbled over my words and Dad began to laugh.

His laugh grew quieter as he said, "I'm kidding! I thought we could go home and do some surfing, maybe a little competition and then watch a movie after dinner?"

I nodded my head excitedly, "You are so on! The water won't be too cold for an old man like yourself? You know because it's the middle of November."

"Hey! Old man? I don't think so! I am barely old! I'll show you!" Dad narrowed his eyes at me and pulled out of the school's parking lot. The ride back to our house was filled with laughter and a little giddiness. I couldn't wait to go surfing with my dad again.

Dad had barely parked the truck before I was bounding into the house and up to my bedroom. I quickly changed into my bathing suit a rash guard. I grabbed a towel and ran down to our shed. I pulled out our two surfboards and waited for my dad.

"Jeez, Jes, slow down! The waves aren't going anywhere!" He laughed as he closed the glass door behind him.

"Right! I know- I just- we haven't gone surfing together in a really long time and I'm excited." I shrugged and put my board under my arm.

We walked towards our beach and he wrapped an arm around my neck, pulling me towards him. I felt him place a comforting kiss on my head and I smiled to myself. "Now are you ready to eat your words?"

I dropped my board in the water and began paddling farther out, "You're on, old man!"

It wasn't long before Dad caught the biggest wave and easily rode it all the way in. I sat on my board as the waves seemed to calm and Dad paddled back towards me. I took it the beautiful sights around me; the palm trees swayed with the early winter air, the air smelled of sweet flowers and salt.

"Pretty sure I win." Dad grinned as he came up next to me.

I splashed him with water, "Whatever! I let you win!"

He rolled his eyes, "Sure!"

I went to stand up on my board and felt my knee throbbing. "Oh." I hissed and dropped back down.

"Jessa, are you okay? What's wrong?" Dad pulled my surfboard closer to his, worry filling his voice.

"I'm fine, I think I just over did it a little." I gave him a reassuring smile.

He nodded, "I think it's time we went in. We've been out here for two hours and you should rest."

"Dad!" I whined, "I'm not sick or an invalid! I just need to put some medicine on my knee and we'll be good to go!"

"Nope! Rest time and then we can eat dinner. Don't forget the movie." Dad gave me a pointed look, daring me to argue with him. I sighed and followed my orders. "Want a ride to shore?"

I grinned and nodded my head. Dad tethered our boards together as I laid flat on mine. He paddled forward until we hit shallow waters. I felt myself being lifted up and suddenly I was on my Dad's back. "You know I can walk." I laughed.

"I know, but when will you ever pass up the opportunity for a piggyback ride?" He questioned.

I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't help the smile that played across my lips. Dad carried me until we finally hit dry sand and then he carefully lowered me to the ground. Pain still shot through my knee, but it wasn't quite as bad as before. I found my towel and laid it down directly under the sun. Stretching out across the warm fabric, a yawn escaped me.

"Hey, Jes, I'll be right back." Dad said, jogging away. I sat up on my elbows and watched my dad stop in front of a middle-aged woman. They talked for a few seconds and then Dad looked over at me, worry and confusion filling his face. Something wasn't right. He turned back to the woman and I decided to join the conversation.

I walked over, stopping next to Dad. "Good day, Commander McGarrett. We'll be in touch." The woman nodded and left.

"Who was that?" I asked.

"That was Sara Croft," he paused and took a deep breath, "a social worker."

I could almost feel my heart rising inside of me, wanting to beat right out of my chest. "What- what does- what does she want?" My voice came out strained with emotion.

Dad turned to me and laid his hands on my shoulders, "She says your aunt is in town and she wants to see you."

I felt my heart stop, "I don't have an aunt."

"You thought you didn't have an aunt. Apparently Bill had a sister that he didn't stay in touch with and completely wrote out of his life." He searched my eyes, probably looking for a sign of distress.

"I don't want to see her." I stated firmly.

"I know, I told Sara Croft that. I'm afraid there's not much of a choice for you though."

I pinched the bridge of my nose, "I want that part of my life to stay in the past. Dad, I will not see her."

Dad nodded, "I'll do the best I can to hold them off. I'll call the governor if I have to."

I let out a breath, one that I hadn't realized I was holding. He pulled me into him and I tried to steady my breathing. My biological father was dead and somehow he still managed to make my life horrible.

* * *

 **As promised here is the new story on Jessa Lawrence McGarrett! If you're just coming to read my writing now I highly suggest you jump over to my story, "A Not So Ordinary Life", this one would make a lot more sense if you read the first! For all my ever faithful readers: what do you think? Any thoughts on what might go down next for Jessa? I am not sure if this one will be a Thanksgiving fic or a Christmas one. It will probably go through Christmas just because I won't have a lot of time to write the story before Thanksgiving. Reviews and constructive criticism are always welcome! I hope you've enjoyed chapter one of A Not So Horrible Holiday!**

 **More to come,**

 **Theatrefreak10**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I paced the length of my bedroom, my hand raised to my mouth in complete concentration. I could still feel my heart beating rapidly in my chest. What happened to the break I was on? That nice little amount of time where nothing bad was going to happen. I paused in my steps as a knock sounded at the door.

"Jes?" Dad asked as he opened it just enough to poke his head through. I met his eyes and went back to pacing. "You're going to wear a hole in the floor if you don't stop pacing."

I gave him an unamused look and stopped, "I'm glad to see you think this predicament is so humorous!"

He sighed and sat down on the edge of my bed, patting the comforter beside him for me to sit down. I grudgingly obliged, "I don't think it's humorous. I'm just not going to worry about it. So you have an aunt, I won't force you to meet her."

"You're not worried? Dad, this is Bill's sister. My psychopath biological father's sister! I mean my psychopath biological mother's husband's sister! He's not even my biological father! How are you not worried?! She could kidnap me for all we know!" I jumped off the bed and threw my hands in the air in exasperation.

"Okay, drama queen," Dad shook his head and tried to fight off an amused smile for my sake, but it was no use, "I think it's time you calmed down. No one is going to kidnap you ever again. I promise."

I ran a shaky hand through my knotted brown hair and a fragile breath escaped from my lips.

"Sara Croft said that your aunt was completely cut off from Bill and his lifestyle. That's why she never knew about you until now."

I sat back down next to Dad, "Ok, but if Bill isn't even related to me by blood, that means this so called aunt of mine isn't either. Therefore, I don't have any legal obligation to meet with her."

I watched as he scratched his head, "Actually, Bill adopted you when you were an infant. If he didn't then the child support would only come to Laura and not him. So, technically, you are legally related to this woman."

"Ugh!" My head fell into my hands as unwanted tears sprang to my eyes. "I just want the past to stay in the past. I just want to forgot about Bill and Laura, I want to move on with my life."

Dad pulled me to him, hugging me tightly. I let the tears fall onto his shirt and he seemed to tighten his grip even more when he felt them. "I'll call Sara Croft and tell her you will not be meeting with Bill's sister."

I nodded my head against his chest. After swallowing the lump in my throat, I finally said, "Thank you, Dad."

"You know I would do anything for you." He kissed my forehead and stood up, "I hate to leave you, I actually came up here because we caught a case."

"No, I understand. Would you mind if I came with you? Not into the field, just to HQ? I promise I won't get in your way! I'll just sit in your office and work on running lines for the children's show. Please?" I tried not to beg.

"Of course! Grab your things and let's go!" I scrambled to pull on a sweatshirt and grab my script. I followed Dad out to the truck and hopped in.

The ride to the Five-0 headquarters was quiet, I watched as miles of ocean passed by. Dad pulled into his parking space and I followed him into the building. The security guards all smiled at us as we passed by. The elevator ride was short and in minutes Dad was consumed by the new case. I opened the door to Dad's office and plopped down on the couch.

I smiled at the picture frames scattered in various places around the room. They were all photos of him and I doing various things. I looked at a photo of him and I at my birthday luau; he was carrying me to bed. I don't know where he got the frame, but in small letters on the top it said, "My Little Girl". I rolled my eyes at the cheesiness, but I couldn't help the wide grin that spread across my face.

I stood up and plugged my phone into the speaker of my dad's computer. I turned on the reading of all of the other character roles in my script and I began rehearsing. I dropped to floor pretending to sob. I looked up pretending Jack, my counter part in the play, was standing off stage somewhat. I cried harder trying to get his attention.

"Are you alright?" Said the speaker of the computer.

I sat up a little, "No!"

"I, uh, well that sucks." Jack said.

"That doesn't help!" I cried.

"Are you homeless?" He asked.

I stood up and brushed my "dress" off. I said my next line with much sass, "I am a princess. I am not homeless."

"Oh! Why are you out here crying?" Jack questioned.

"The witch took my crown and kicked me out of my kingdom!" I sobbed over-dramatically.

I continued the scene and when it was over I hit pause in my soundtrack so that I could run to Kono's office and grab something to drink; she always kept a mini fridge stocked full of waters and juices. I walked out of Dad's office not paying much attention to my surroundings. I passed by the main area where everyone was gathered around the screens. Stopping just before Kono's office, I realized that it was oddly quiet.

I looked up at everyone and was met by five shocked faces. "What? I'm just getting a drink." I shrugged.

"Are you okay?" Danny asked.

"Yes? Why wouldn't I be?" I asked and then thought they were referring to the aunt incident, "Oh, yeah, I'm not meeting with her."

"Not meeting with who? I'm talking about the fact that you were legitimately sobbing fifteen minutes ago." Danny stated.

I laughed, "I was rehearsing for the children's show I'm in! My character is a little over dramatic."

They all sighed in relief. "Wait, who aren't you meeting with?" Chin asked.

"Dad didn't tell you?" I was met by four blank stares.

"I didn't have a chance." Dad shrugged, "Do you want me to tell them?" I nodded my head. "Sara Croft, a social worker, came by the house yesterday. Apparently Bill Wright had a sister that no one knew about, she was completely cut out of his life. Anyways, she found out about Jessa and she wants to meet with her."

Danny's knuckles turned white as he tightened his hands around the table, Chin stood silently with his arms crossed, Kono looked a little shell shocked, and Catherine wasn't showing much emotion.

"You don't have any legal obligation to meet with her." Danny said angrily, "Bill wasn't your biological father so you aren't related to her in anyway."

"He wasn't my biological father, you're right, but-" I bit my lip.

"He adopted Jessa so that he could receive the child support." Dad finished for me.

I nodded my head. "So legally, you are related to this woman." Catherine finally said, "Which means legally she has the right to demand at least a visit."

A silence fell over the room. I dropped my eyes to the floor and shifted my feet. "But you aren't meeting with her? That's what you said earlier." Kono spoke quietly into the silence.

"No, I am not."

"Good! This family doesn't have the right to demand anything from you. They've already taken so much, they don't deserve to get to know you." Danny spat out, clearly still enraged.

"They've given her a lot, too." Chin added. I looked up and our eyes met. I gave him a small smile because I knew what he was talking about. They took away the Lawrence's, but they gave me Steve McGarrett and the Five-0 task force.

Everyone seemed to fall quiet again as they mulled Chin's words over. I watched as the realization of what Bill and Laura Wright had given me dawned on my family. "I'm not going to meet her. That's that, now if you'll excuse me, I need to grab a drink and get back to rehearsing." I smiled and slipped out of the center of the room.

Once grabbing a bottle of water, I was finally able to get back to rehearsal again. I had just finished my fourth scene when a knock sounded at the glass door. I turned and found Dad smiling and waiting patiently.

He opened the door, "Hey, I didn't want to interrupt, but we are all heading out. We got a lead and it requires all of us. I'll see you in a few hours."

"Okay." I smiled. Dad went to leave and I bit my lip before hurrying towards him. "Dad?"

He turned around hastily, "Yeah?" I didn't answer, I just threw my arms around his middle.

"I love you." I whispered.

"I love you too, Jes." I could hear the smile in his voice.

"Please be careful!"

"I will." Dad stated and kissed the top of my head.

"Okay, bye!" I pulled away and waved to the rest of the team.

"Jerry's in his office if you need anything!" Dad called over his shoulder and with that everyone was gone. It was eerily quiet. I kicked off my athletic sandals and slid across the floor in my socks to the monitors. I turned on some Christmas music, even though it was only November.

I smiled to myself as the cheery tunes lit up the room. That was much better. I needed a break from the rehearsing and what better way to spend a break then jamming out to some festive music?

I danced to _Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree_ and sang along. I'm not sure how long my break ended up being, but it was much longer then the original fifteen minutes I had planned. I kept dancing to the merry tunes anyways. I spun around and froze in my spot. Jerry was standing there with a middle-aged woman and he was trying very hard not to laugh.

I quickly hit the pause button and tried to catch my breath from all of the dancing. "Thanks for the warning, Jerry!" I groaned.

He laughed finally, "Sorry, about that, Jessa! I was on my way up here to gather a little info for Steve when I met this woman in the hallway. She was looking for your dad."

"Oh! I'm sorry, he actually just ran out. Is there anything I can do for you?" I asked.

"Actually, meeting you is what I wanted in the first place." She smiled.

My eyebrows furrowed, "Me?"

"I am Susan Wright, your aunt." And once again, my heart wanted to beat out of my chest.

* * *

 **I cannot thank you all enough for all of the favorites and follows for this new story! As "A Not So Ordinary Life" began to wrap itself up, I began to mull this idea over! I really hope you guys are enjoying this because I am enjoying writing it for you all! I would really appreciate reviews because it lets me know how you all feel towards the storyline and they help me to be a better writer! So if you wouldn't mind just taking the moment to leave a quick review I would be so grateful! Chapter 3 is in the works right now! I hope to have it out by the end of the week! I am going to try and update this story at least twice a week! How do you think Jessa will react to Susan Wright dropping into her life? Any thoughts or comments?**

 **See you later,**

 **Theatrefreak10**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I sat stiffly in my dad's office, waiting for him to get back from where the lead had taken the team. I looked through the glass walls and made eye contact with the alleged Susan Wright, but I turned away quickly. Jerry had to pull me out of the center of the room and he shut me away in the office. He threw something about calling Steve and me staying put over his shoulder.

That was my current predicament. I was glued to the couch cushion, frozen in a horrible world. Jerry thought I was going to have a panic attack or maybe he thought I was going to murder this woman with my bare hands. He practically had to drag my rigid body into Dad's office.

My eyes fell to the clock, it had only been an hour since Dad had left. He wasn't going to be back soon. I pulled my legs up onto the couch and secured them closely to my body. I laid my head on my knees and sighed. I felt myself shaking a little bit and I was almost certain I was on the verge of a panic attack.

The door slammed open, rattling the glass, and I didn't bother to look up. "What's wrong? Are you sick? Are you hurt? Where does it hurt?" It was Dad, worried as usual.

I shook my head, not willing to answer the questions he posed. I felt tears spring to my eyes and my heart raced as I continued to think about Susan; she looked a lot like Bill. I felt like I couldn't breath and I was gasping for air. Something was sitting on my chest. "Can't... Breathe..." I wheezed out.

"Jessa, honey, listen to me. You're panicking. You need to focus on my voice and look at me." I met his eyes, "Good, keep looking at me and focusing on my voice. I want you to breathe in for four counts and out for four counts."

Tears streamed down my face and I took shaky breaths. It was hard at first, but Dad kept talking and rubbing circles into my back until finally I was calm.

"Good! Are you better now? Did you have any other panic attacks while I was gone?" His eyes quickly searched mine.

"No." I shook my head as the word made its way past the lump in my throat.

A sigh of relief came from Dad, "Jerry called me and said something was wrong and I came as fast as I could. I left Danny at the place we were checking."

"Dad-" I began, but couldn't finish.

"What is it, Jes?"

"Susan Wright." I whispered.

He looked confused, "Who is Susan Wright? Am I supposed to know her?"

I shook my head. "I'm, Susan Wright." Came the female voice from the door.

Dad stood up and straightened into what I liked to call his intimidation stance. "Yes, and what exactly do you want?"

"To get to know my niece." She smiled at me and it finally dawned on my dad.

He stepped in front of me, "You weren't supposed to talk to her at all. I called Sara Croft and told her that Jessa would not be meeting with you."

I peeked around Dad's arm and watched as Susan stepped closer. Dad instinctively put his hand on my arm. "I know I wasn't supposed to meet her. I was looking to talk with you, I thought maybe you could see things from my point of view."

"Your point of view? All that I see is someone who is trying to stir up a girl's life after your brother already caused her so much pain." Dad growled, still holding me closely to him.

"That's not what I want to do at all. I just want to get to know my niece." Susan smiled sadly.

I tensed at her smile. Every facial expression she made was so similar to Bill's. Composing a shaky breath, I finally let a few words tumble out, "I made my decision and if you truly ever wanted to be in my life I think you need to respect that."

She nodded and turned to leave, "I respect your decision and I hope I can see you soon."

The silence enveloped the small office after Susan had left. Dad shifted his body so that he was facing me. "Are you okay?"

"Yes." I stated and gave him a reassuring smile, but I think the smile was to try and reassure myself.

"Jes, you don't have to pretend." He said firmly.

A sigh passed through my tightly closed lip, "I know. She looks so similar to him and every time she smiled all I saw was Bill. It scared me, a lot."

Dad pulled me into him and I naturally wrapped my arms around his middle. "I will make sure she never comes close to you again."

I could feel him place a kiss in my hair and the tension release from his body. Silence enveloped the room as we stood there, father and daughter, bound tightly together.

"I'm sorry you had to come back early." I finally whispered.

He pulled slightly back and gave me a shocked look, "You never have to apologize for pulling me out of the field. You are my number one priority; making sure you're okay is the only thing that matters."

I nodded my head, my throat tightly constricted. The next few days passed by quickly and suddenly it was Thanksgiving. I had never had a big Thanksgiving celebration; it was always just my parents and I. Dad insisted that we host the dinner for the whole Five-O family and his family.

I hadn't met anyone from his family, my family, and I was extremely worried. I knew that Dad's mom and dad were both gone, but he had a sister and an aunt that he was close to. I prayed they would like me.

My feet touched down onto the cold wooded flooring of my bedroom and I groaned as I looked at the clock. Everyone would be arriving around two and that left me with just over an hour to get ready. I had been putting off getting out of bed all morning.

I took a quick shower and threw on a pair of jeans and a cute red top. I curled my long brown hair and added some finishing touches of makeup. My eyes met my reflection in the mirror and I smiled nervously. Without so much as a second thought, I bounded down the stairs and was met by a delicious aroma.

"It's about time you got out of bed! I need your help!" Dad called from the kitchen before popping his head around the corner, "Whoa! Don't you look good! Who are you trying to impress?"

I rolled my eyes, "I am meeting your family today."

He smiled, "They're your family too and they are going to love you!"

"Whatever you say." I smiled nervously and joined him in the kitchen, "What do you need me to do?"

"Could you set the patio table? It's really nice out and it'll fit everyone." Dad handed me a large stack of plates and I nodded my head.

I hummed quietly to myself and made the patio table ready for a Thanksgiving feast. I made many trips from the kitchen to the patio before finally finishing the table. "Dad?" I called and he slid the door open, "Good?"

He smiled widely, "It looks great, sweetheart! Everyone should be arriving in a few minutes!"

I nodded my head and followed him through the doorway. "Yeah, okay."

"Hey, remember what I said last night? You don't have to be nervous, okay? I am right here with you and I know that Aunt Deb will love you. So will Mary. Besides, everyone will be here and that should make you feel more comfortable." Dad kissed the top of my head just as the front door opened.

"Jessa!" Came the squeal of my favorite nine year old.

I turned just in time to be wrapped in a tight hug, "Gracie! I am so excited you could come! I have a little surprise for you after dinner!"

Her face lit up with wonder, "Really? What is it? Is it candy?"

"No!" I laughed, "You'll just have to wait and see!"

A long sigh came from Grace and she ran outside. Danny smiled at me and gave me a hug, "How you doing, kid?"

"Good, great!" I smiled.

"Steve, you told her not to be nervous right?" He raised an eyebrow.

I smacked his arm and rolled my eyes, "I know not to be nervous. I am not nervous."

Danny nodded his head, "Sure, whatever you say."

"Knock, knock!" Kono said as she, Chin, Malia, and Kamekona all walked in. "I found these criminals outside when I got here!"

A collective laugh came from the group and everyone began talking with one another. Voices ran together and I suddenly felt very dizzy. I backed up until my legs hit the front of a chair and I fell into with a loud thud. Silence.

"Jes, you okay?" Dad's worried face came into my view.

"Wha- oh, yeah! Sorry!" I laughed and shook my head, "I think I just need to eat soon."

He nodded his head and two more people walked in; an older lady and a younger one. I assumed these were my dad's family members. The older lady, Deb, looked kind and fun. Mary seemed the same way, but a little more closed off.

"Steven!" Deb exclaimed as her eyes found my dad. She wrapped him in a tight hug and he returned it. He did the same with his sister. "Where's that girl of your's?"

"This is Jessa." Dad stated, a grin sliding on his face. He pulled me out of the chair and braced me with his arm.

"I was talking about Catherine; who is she? Who are you?" Deb's eyes looked between Dad, me, and the rest of the room.

I looked up at my father and gave him a "you have to be kidding me look". He hadn't told them about me. He shrugged sheepishly and said, "Catherine left a few days ago and is back on the ship for a few more months. This is my daughter, Jessa."

"Daughter?!" Mary sputtered. It was the first thing she had said.

Dad nodded and suddenly I was swept into a furious hug. "Welcome to the family, sweet pea!" Deb said excitedly, "You can call me Aunt Deb."

The nervous tension dissipated from my body and I relaxed. "Alright, since that's out of the way, dinner is ready!" The crowd flowed onto the patio and took their seats, I sat down in between Danny and Kono. Everything seemed to pace by in high speed. I ate quietly and only talked when spoken to. The conversation never had a lull and I was thankful for that. I quickly finished my plate and made sure not to bring attention to myself as I walked inside.

The silence of my home enveloped me and brought me comfort. A long sigh passed through my lips and I sat my plate in the sink. I contemplated going back to the patio, but I decided against it. My feet lead me up the stairs and into my dad's bedroom. If they came looking for me, they would check everywhere, but here first. I sat down on the soft bed, basking in the quiet calm.

I knew I would have to go back sooner or later, but it was so peaceful right now. I'm not quite sure how long I stayed just sitting on the bed, eyes closed. The doorknob began to turn and Dad came through.

"I thought you might be in here." He smiled and sat down next to me, "Whatcha doing, Jes?"

I shrugged, "I just needed a breather. I'm not used to the loud family holidays."

Dad nodded, "Are you sure you just don't want to talk to Aunt Deb and Mary?"

"No, I mean yes! I just, don't want them to not like me."

"I don't know how many times I can tell you this before you get it, they will love you! I'm sure Aunt Deb already does!" He stretched an arm out behind my back and I fell gently into his side.

"I know, I know. I'll go down in a bit and talk with them." I smiled.

"Good! First, we are going to play some backyard football, you game?" Dad winked.

I jumped up, "Am I game? Of course! I love football, let's go!"

Surprisingly, the rest of the day, I talked and laughed with Mary. Grace got her surprise of candy and I got to enjoy time with my family. However crazy they may be. Things were starting to look up, Susan Wright was gone and the worry she brought with her was no more. Maybe I was back on a break from the bad things...

* * *

 **As promised, a new chapter! I hope you all enjoyed this one! I know nothing very exciting happened towards the end, but I need a time gap filler between the chapter 2 and chapter 4! Chapter 4 will be in the works, hopefully tomorrow! I need to tend to some of my other stories first! Again, I am so very sorry for the neglect, but I am back and better than ever! Reviews are welcome and I really hope you'll consider reviewing! I always love hearing from you all!**

 **Until next time,**

 **Theatrefreak10**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Jessa?" My dad called from down the stairs, "Are you home?"

I popped my head out my doorway and smiled, "Yes, Dad."

"Oh, good! I need your help with some things! Can you come down here?" He gave me a mischievous grin and I closed my bedroom door as I bounded down the steps.

I stepped into our living room and was met by the sight of a giant green Christmas tree. Warmth and excitement bubbled inside of me. It had been such a long time since I had, had a Christmas tree. I was officially on Christmas break and Dad had promised Thanksgiving weekend we would get a tree, but he had gotten a case. One case turned into two and then three. "Dad, really?" I whispered.

Dad's smile reached his eyes, "Of course, Jes. Anything for you." Before he knew what was happening, I threw my arms around him. A deep laugh arose from him and I stepped back.

"Thank you! Oh my gosh! Thank you so much! Are we going to decorate it right now?" I grinned. He nodded easily and moved aside to show me the boxes that lined the floor and coffee table. I clapped my hands together and opened the first one. Delicate ornaments were tucked away safely in tissues and newspaper. There were handmade ones and store bought.

Dad dug around a bit before he found the colorful lights. "Here," he handed me the end of one strand, "Let's get these on." It took us thirty minutes, but we finally managed to untangle and string the lights onto the tree.

I stood back and admired the different colors. It made the house feel warmer and cheer-filled. My stomach rumble and I looked at the time. "Dad, can we order some Chinese for dinner?" I questioned, the hope threaded into each word.

"It should be here any minute. I ordered it after I set up the tree." He stated.

"Did you get orange chicken? And rice? And noodles?"

Dad stopped and stared at me, "You act as though I don't know my own daughter. I'm offended." His hand went over his heart in mock pain.

I rolled my eyes and the doorbell rang. I walked over and opened it. My heart nearly stopped for the third time in a month. "Can I help you?" I asked, bitterness rising in my voice.

"Ah, yes, Jessa! Is Commander McGarrett home?" Sara Croft asked a little too sweetly.

Dad came to the door, no doubt seeing my tension and hearing the familiar voice, "What can I do for you, Ms. Croft?" He took on a defensive stance, his arms crossed in front of him.

She smiled, "Can we talk? Privately?"

"Dad-" I went to defend myself, but he cut me off.

"Jessa, could you go wait in your room please?" I wanted to protest, but he gave me a stern look and I walked up the stairs. I didn't go to my room though; I quietly took a seat on the second to top step.

* * *

"Commander, as you know Susan Wright is still in town." Ms. Croft spoke.

"Of course I do. She poses a threat to my daughter, I've had my people keep an eye on her."

I had wanted to throw Sara Croft off of my porch as soon as I had seen Jessa tense up. Professionalism was the only thing keeping me from doing so. This lady was dense! If someone poses harm to my daughter, of course I'm keeping tabs on them. I will protect Jessa at all costs.

"Please, Ms. Croft, do get to the point." My arms stayed crossed over my chest menacingly.

"Susan Wright won't back off her demands. She is taking it to court, Commander, she is seeking full guardianship over Jessa." I thought my heart would stop completely at these words.

I kept my face neutral, "The adoption was finalized months ago. She can't do that."

Sara Croft sighed, "She can, Commander. She is Jessa's only living relative and she has a case built up against you. You've left Jessa in the hands of friends while you were seemingly arrested at her school. She has nearly died two times while in your care; once from malnourishment. While all of that may not have been your fault, the lawyer will present it to the judge so it seems as though you are unfit."

"Unfit?" I shouted before lowering my voice, "Unfit? I am the head of a top government investigation agency! I am the most fit person in this world to care for that girl."

"I agree." She nodded, "But Susan has already taken this to a judge and raised the concern. I came here tonight to tell you that I will be back tomorrow morning to take Jessa to a group home where she will stay until full custody is given to someone. I only found out about the matter an hour ago. I am sorry, Commander, but there is nothing you can do to stop this process."

"You're not taking my daughter anywhere." I breathed out angrily.

"I don't have a choice. We will notify the authorities to come with us tomorrow. Standard protocol in case anyone steps out of line." Sara gave another exasperated sigh, "I truly am sorry."

"You can't do this. Not before Christmas. That girl, my daughter, has been through too much this year for you imbeciles to ruin this! I'm calling the governor!"

She walked to the door, "Do as you see fit, Commander McGarrett, but the governor has no say in this matter. Ultimately the judge will rule. I will see you tomorrow morning. Please have Jessa ready by eight." With that she stepped out the door and I watched as she went down the path. I quietly shut the door and leaned my forehead against it.

A whimper came from the stairway and I sighed sadly, "Come down, Jes." I heard the padded footsteps come to a stop at the end of the stairs and I turned.

"Dad..." she choked out. The fear in her eyes broke my heart.

* * *

I felt the breath hitch in my throat and my stomach tightened in knots at the two words I dreaded most: group home. Susan was fighting for sole custody of me and until she won I would stay in a group home. No Christmas with the team, no Christmas Eve policeman's ball, and no more Steve McGarrett.

I was losing everything all over again. My home, my friends, my family. Everything would all be gone tomorrow at eight a.m. I would no longer be Jessa McGarrett and I could physically feel my world shattering around me. I must have made a noise because I heard Dad- Steve tell me to come down.

I made slow steps, trying not to fall from the weakness I found in my knees and legs. I made it to the bottom and watched as he turned to face me. My voice formed one word over the lump in my throat, "Dad..." and that was when I let it all come crashing down. I sank to the floor and wrapped my arms around my legs, pulling them into me.

"Jes, honey, listen. I'm not letting them take you away from here, from me. You're staying right where you are, okay? I promise. I don't break my promises, do I?" I felt his hand in my hair. He was trying to get me to open up, to not withdraw into myself again, "Sweetheart, please." His voice took on a begging tone and I met his eyes. He was scared too.

"You can't promise anything, Steve. Don't promise anything because tomorrow you'll have to break your promise." I whispered.

"Jessa, please don't say that. You're not going anywhere. I won't let them take you from me." Steve's strangled voice shattered my heart even more and I pulled away.

Standing on wobbly legs, I looked at the man, I had called my dad, straight in the eyes, "I'm leaving tomorrow and I'm not coming back. You can't stop the system." I turned on my heels and walked up to my room. I closed the door silently and melted against it. Sobs racked my body and I looked at the present I had been wrapping only two hours earlier.

A leather gun holster with an engraving on it that read, "Merry Christmas, Dad. I love you." I slid it under my bed, not my bed, the bed. I wouldn't be able to give it to him now. I looked around the room. So many things I had collected over the months. Pictures, awards, presents and everything would have to stay here.

I pulled out a backpack and packed a minimal amount of clothes. Just enough to where the other girls couldn't steal them. I crawled into bed at seven p.m. Dinner forgotten and my stomach still churning. I cried silent tears now. I cried until it physically hurt and when I thought I was done, I cried more. I'm not sure when I fell asleep, but I know I fell asleep still crying.

The sun peaked out from the sheer curtains and I rolled over. I hadn't gotten much sleep in the night and the sleep I did get was restless. I rolled over and checked the time on my clock. One hour to go. One hour until I would be gone from this home forever.

My body seemed to move on its own; it went through the motions of getting ready. I caught a glance of my reflection in the mirror and I paused. Red puffy eyes and dark circles stared back at me. I didn't want to have to face Steve, but I knew I would have to sooner or later.

I took the steps slowly, hoping that maybe Steve had gone into work. I knew though, I knew he wouldn't have. He was sitting quietly on the couch. He wore the same clothes he had yesterday and I wondered if he had gone to bed at all. The last step creaked and his head shot up at the noise.

"You're awake." He tried to smile, but it was lost on him. His eyes were red and I knew he hadn't gotten any sleep.

"Yeah, I mean, I am leaving." I could hear the bitterness in my voice and I willed it to go away. I was turning back into that ten year old girl who was angry and reckless.

"Jes, please don't." Steve whispered brokenly. This strong man, that I loved like he was my real father, was broken because of me.

I wanted to scream and cry, but I held it in, "Don't what? Don't be bitter? Don't be angry? Don't say the truth? Da- Steve, I am leaving. Susan Wright is pulling me away and I should have known from the beginning; I don't get what I want."

He was going to say something, but he was cut short by the front door being thrown open. Danny came through with Chin and Kono; all of them looking angry.

"We won't let them take you. We'll call in swat if we have to. You aren't going anywhere." Danny said coming over to me and laying his hands on my shoulders.

I smiled, "It's okay, Danno, you can't stop them. It's okay, I swear."

"It's not okay!" The usually calm Chin shouted, "Susan Wright doesn't have the right to do this!"

I wanted to laugh at that play on words, but I held it in. "I'll be okay, I promise."

"We could fly to the main land. I can get us the tickets now. We've got fake ID's ready to go." Danny gave Steve a pointed look and he seemed to mull this idea over.

"No. Danno, this has to be done. I- I'm sorry, but I can't let you guys sacrifice your careers for me." I bit my lip and looked down at my converse. Unwanted tears sprang to my eyes and I watched as one fell on the tip of my shoe.

I heard a large huff, "Sacrifice our careers? I would sacrifice my life for you to be safe." It was Chin who had said it.

I looked up and met his eyes and gave him a small smile, just as the doorbell rang. Everyone turned and stared it down, refusing to answer the ring. My heartbeat sped up and I took tentative steps to the door. I felt the cool metal beneath my hand and suddenly it felt like I was watching from a different perspective.

The door swung open. Two police officers, Sara Croft, and Susan Wright stood expectantly on the small platform.

"Good morning, Jessa!" Susan smiled.

I turned away from her and let them in. Furious eyes met those of the intruders and the police officers knew they would be no match against this team of people.

"Jessa, are you ready to go?" Sara asked.

I bit my lip and searched Steve's eyes. I wanted to scream for him to talk to me, to get me out of this, but he remained silent. I nodded my head once and grabbed the small backpack with my few belongings. There would be no goodbyes, it was too hard to say the words. I looked one last time at my dad and willed him to speak. Still, no words came and I walked out the front door.

No one put up a fight as I climbed into the front seat of Sara's Impala. I waited as she spoke to the family I had once had. I could tell they were all arguing, but it was done. She walked over to the driver's side and slid in.

"Well, Jessa, I'm surprised you came so easily." I looked out my window and bit down hard on my lip. Tears sprang to my eyes and I refused to answer her statement.

She backed the car out of the driveway and made her way down the road. I watched through the tears as my home drifted further and further away. We came to a stop sign and it hit me. I couldn't just leave like that. I needed to tell him everything. I needed to make sure that Steve knew he would always be my father.

I unbuckled my seat belt. The sound causing Sara to look over at me. "Jessa, what are you doing?"

"I can't, I can't leave him like that. I need to at least say goodbye." I whispered and bolted out the door. I heard her protesting yells, but I didn't slow down. I took the shortcut through Mr. Hankinson's backyard and I didn't care that he yelled at me to get off his manicured lawn.

I ran and I didn't stop until I came face to face with the house. Steve was sitting down on the porch step, his head in his hands. The team stood behind him. They looked up at my sudden arrival and Danny nudged Steve's shoulder. His head jolted up and I saw the tears on his face.

"I- I couldn't leave without saying goodbye, Dad." I stated, tears falling from my eyes. He stood up and I stilled. He was in front of me within two strides and his arms naturally secured me into him. I breathed in his forrest, ocean scent and a sob escaped me. "I don't want to go, Dad. Please-"

"I'm going to fight this, Jes, no matter how long it takes me, I will not let them take you away. I swear, on my life, that you will be back home once this is all over." Steve's, my dad's voice was strong and firm.

I nodded my head into his chest, My tears soaked his black t-shirt as they continued to fall, "I love you, Dad."

I felt him take in a lot of air and then let it out, "I love you too, Jessa." I heard the sound of tires on pavement and knew that Sara was back.

"I'm sorry."

"What do you have to be sorry for?" Dad questioned.

I pulled back slightly, "I took it all for granted. The large family, the home, you. I'm sorry I didn't appreciate it as much as I should have. I'm sorry that I have to lose it all, you all."

"Oh sweetheart, you aren't losing anything. We are going to fight for you. The governor is personally coming to the court to give a testimony. Don't worry, we're going to bring you home." He kissed my forehead. I willed myself to believe him, but Susan Wright had come this far and she wasn't going to back down now.

I gave my dad one last hug and walked to the car. I looked at Danny, Chin, and Kono. They all stood in front of the porch now and I nodded to them. I met Danny's eyes and gave him a knowing look. He knew what it meant, it meant to take care of my dad no matter what the outcome. Danny nodded once and I got into the car.

"We can go now." I stated simply to Sara.

"You're not going to try to run again, are you?" Her tone was light, but I was not in the mood for jokes.

"Let's just go." And we did. I watched as everything became a distant dream. Was my time there even real? I wanted to believe that Steve could win the custody appeal, but I was scared. Would my life ever be normal? Would I ever get to a point where everything was going to be okay?

The car came to halt in the parking lot of a group home. The sign read, "Morning-Side's home for teens" and I took in a gulp of air. We got out and I followed Sara into the building and into the offices. I watched as teens filtered in and out of the building. Sara opened and office door and we both filed in.

"Ah, Mrs. Croft, right on time." A large man with graying hair and piercing blue eyes said.

"Mr. Hathaway, this is Jessa Lawrence." Sara smiled.

"McGarrett. My last name is McGarrett." I stated stiffly.

Sara gave me a cautioning look, "Right."

"Please, please, have a seat." Mr. Hathaway said and we did, "Let's just get right down to business shall we? It looks as though you should only be staying with us for a short time. We have assigned you to room thirteen which is empty so you won't need to worry about a roommate. Each room has its own bathroom as well. Luckily, it is Christmas break and you won't be needing to worry about school. Breakfast is served whenever you want it before 10, lunch is at 12:30, and dinner is at 6. If you want to go out you must get permission from one of the adults. Is there any questions you have?" I shook my head, "Perfect, I'll get Lisa to show you to your room."

Lisa was a small blonde. Her perky eyes were hidden behind big glasses. "Jessa, right?"

"Yeah." I threw my backpack over my shoulder and shoved my hands into my pockets.

"I'm Lisa, the girls' leader. I can't wait to get to know you!" She smiled and led me down a hallway. I looked back at the only familiar face and Sara waved goodbye. "Here's your room!"

She opened the door to a small dorm type room. It had cold white walls and two twin beds on the opposite walls. I dropped my backpack on one bed and sat down on the other. I looked around at the emptiness and pulled out the only pictures I had brought with me. One of the Lawrence's, one of the whole team, and one of Steve and I.

"Was that your family?" Lisa asked tentatively as she stepped over and sat down next to me on the bed.

"Is. They are my family." I corrected her.

"The director didn't really fill me in on your situation. You want to tell me?"

I shrugged, "My adoptive parents were murdered, I went to live with Steve, he adopted me. My biological parents murdered my adoptive ones and they're sister is now trying to take full custody of me. Kind of ridiculous because I'm seventeen and in less than a year I can leave her anyways."

I hadn't meant to open up to her, she just seemed so easy to talk to. "I see. I'm sorry you have to go through that."

"It's okay, I'm kind of used to it now."

"Well, the girls and I are going to be marathoning Christmas movies all day if you want to join us. It's in the living room just down the hall. Get situated and explore a little!" She smiled, patted my knee and left.

For the first time since I had woke up that morning, I was completely alone. I closed the door and slid down against it. My knees finally gave way and I broke down. I wanted to tell myself that I was stronger than this; that I could handle this loss, but I knew I couldn't. I needed my dad and without him I would crumble. He had grown to become my world in just a short time.

* * *

 **Hello, everyone! I hope this lengthy chapter made up for my lack in posting! I am truly sorry! I started a "new" story for the NCIS fandom and if you like that too I hope you'll check it out! Thoughts on all that happened in this chapter? Anyone have an idea as to what might happen next? I sure don't ;)**

 **Until the next time,**

 **Theatrefreak10**

 **P.s. I don't claim to know anything about the adoption process or guardianship legal process. Everything I've written is from my mind.**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Whispers. That is what I heard as I walked through the group home. Everyone was whispering about the new girl. Whispers that I had grown terribly accustomed to. They never ceased and they were hardly true.

"Where did she come from?"

"Why is she here?"

"I heard she's a murder magnet."

"They only put the worst in room 13."

"I wonder what happened to her parents."

"I heard that her biological dad kept her locked up."

"She must be really insane."

"I heard she killed a guy."

"I wonder if she will shoot us too."

The words melted together until they just were on a continuous loop in my head. I should have been used to this by now. I should have been able to let it roll off of my skin like a wave on a shore, but it didn't. It never has. Words cut deeper than any knife could.

I held my head up, acting as if nothing they said affected me. Pretending like I hadn't heard a word of their rumors. My legs carried me through hallways and past living spaces until finally I made it to the door that led to the outside courtyard. I had seen it from my room. It held lush green grass and tall oak trees. The trees had caught my attention right away. They reminded me of ones I had climbed as a young girl in the first group home I had stayed at.

I stopped at the base of the largest tree. It was tucked into the corner and felt safe. In my hand I clutched my journal and a pen. My eyes wandered up into the thick branches, trying to sort out a path. My feet were steady as I found holds for them and soon I was far enough from the bottom that I felt I could let my guard drop. I sat down on the thickest branch and let my back rest against the trunk.

A sigh of relief escaped from my lips and my head laid against the rough bark. I closed my eyes and felt tears spring to them, but I pushed them away. Shaking my head, I opened the journal that I still had a tight grip on and flipped to the first blank page.

"Dear Dad," I wrote, "I never thought I'd have to do this again. I thought that when you adopted me, it was final. Who knew someone could mess with a finalized adoption? Not me, that's for sure! If you can't tell, I'm laughing sarcastically right now. Sorry, I didn't mean to make light of the situation. It shouldn't have surprised me though, I should be used to the boulders of pain life throws at me. I miss you. I know, I know, it's only been a few hours, Jes! Get a grip! But I do. I miss you more than I had when you were locked away in some underground torture chamber in North Korea."

I paused in my note writing and remembered back a few months. How had it been only a few months? It seemed like a lifetime ago. I feel like I had grown so much in just that short amount of time.

I continued on, "You probably thought I didn't even know about North Korea and the torture chamber, right? You told me it all had been a mistake and that the injuries you encountered were from some angry guys you had helped put away. You may be able to lie to suspects, but you aren't very good at lying to your daughter."

"I am still your daughter? I'm scared that Susan Wright will win. I'm scared that she is going to take me away from you forever and even when I'm an adult there will be no way for me to get to you because Susan Wright will be just like him. She will be exactly like her brother. She will lock me away and throw away the key. I'm terrified. They won't let me call you. I want to call you and they put a monitor on my cell phone. I can't call anyone without a chaperone."

I huffed, thinking about all of the rules they'd placed on me, "I'm also not allowed to leave without permission from the director or his minions. They are minions. They're all brainwashed. I hate it here. Rumors are already circulating about me. Apparently, I've been placed into the bad kid's room. I'm a bad kid? I guess so, otherwise I wouldn't be here. I wouldn't have been born to two psychopaths and I would never have had to leave you. Obviously, I've done something wrong to deserve this punishment."

Tears stung my eyes as I thought of what I'd right next, "I really miss you, Dad. I miss you so much that it hurts to breathe. I want to come home. I want to finish decorating the Christmas tree with you and I want to sit on our couch to watch White Christmas... But I can't. None of that will ever happen again and then I'm back to square one. I miss you, it hurts to breathe. I love you so much, Dad. I don't say it nearly enough, but I do. It's stupid to even write this, you probably will never get this letter. I can't help it though. I need to do something. Love, Jes. Oh, p.s. I found this amazing tree. That's where I'm currently writing from. I'm hidden inside the large branches and I almost hope I fall out and end up in the hospital. We can blame it on Susan! :) That would be a real treat!"

I laughed easily as I closed my journal and held it to my chest. I could make it through this, I had to make it through this. My dad was fighting for me so I needed to fight for him. I climbed down from the tree after sitting in it a little while longer. Before entering the building again, I squared my shoulders and took a deep breath.

* * *

Seven hours, twenty-three minutes, forty-two seconds since Jessa had been taken from me. It was like someone had torn me to pieces. I was to go about my normal routine, which meant Five-O headquarters and shuffling through old cases. Susan Wright's lawyer was going to contact me with more details.

A lawyer. I needed a lawyer. I hated lawyers and now I had to trust one to win this battle for me. I didn't know any lawyers. Well, except for-

"What do you want, McGarrett?" Came the gruff voice.

"Listen, I really need your help. It's important." I said to none other than Odell Martin.

He grumbled, "It's always important with you. You still owe me for last time."

"I know and I'll owe you the rest of my life if you do this one thing for me." I was on the verge of begging.

"Lay it on me, McGarrett."

I let out a sigh of relief, "I need a lawyer."

"No, absolutely not. Remember? One time deal." Martin demanded.

"I know, but this- this is real. My daughter was taken from me and I need a lawyer to win the trial. I need a good lawyer. Someone I trust. Please."

There was a long pause and for a moment I thought he had hung up, "Fine, I'll do it."

"You will? Thank you! Come to my office in an hour and we can get to it. Thank you, Martin. I owe you big time." I stated.

"Yeah, yeah, just add it to the tab." And with that he hung up.

I let the phone slide out of my grip and my head fell into my hands. I had a lawyer and yet, I still felt like I couldn't breathe. I had never been very dependent on anyone. Maybe my Aunt Deb, but that had been a long time ago. Ever since the first day I met Jessa, we had been dependent on each other. We had become a family and now that family was being threatened.

"Hey." Danny knocked on the opened glass door of my office. I lifted my head up, "We're going to get her back, Steve. We have to. There's no way the judge won't rule in your favor."

I nodded my head and he left. I'm not sure how long I spent staring at the picture of Jessa on my desk. It was one from Thanksgiving. Her face was lit up as she tried to make a touch down. It was one of my favorite pictures of her. She seemed truly happy and it always made me smile. This girl, who the world had taken so much from, could still smile. It was a wonder.

I pulled out a piece of paper with my letterhead on it. "Dear Jes, I never thought that in a million years I would have a teenage daughter right now. I never could have imagined the joy that you would have brought my life and now that I've had that joy, I won't let it go so easily. You are my everything. You are my family. You are my daughter."

"I was always so reckless in the cases we worked on. Always dodging bullets and knives, not caring if I got hit or not, but since you have come into my life I am more careful. I no longer act without thinking because doing that could very well cost me the thing I am working so hard to hold on to right now. You." I paused in my writing. Why was I even doing this? I never shared my feeling like this. That's not who I was or am.

"Every time we go out in the field now, I take every precaution to be careful. I finally understand why Danno got so upset with me at times. I was a reckless idiot. I thought I was strong, I mean I know I have always been strong. But you, Jes, you are my strength. You keep me from jumping head first into a gun fight. I keep hoping that when I go home, you'll be waiting for me on the couch. Sitting there, catching up on your newest "favorite" television show, and waiting for me to come home so that we can have dinner together. But I know that as soon as I walk into the house, it will be empty. Void of your laughter, your happiness, you."

I stared at the words I was writing, "Sara Croft won't give me the information on where you are staying. I'm half tempted to hack into her files to find it. I'm sure Kono has already done it. I should just ask her. You said I couldn't stop the system? Then I'll die trying. I'm fighting for this, Jes, I'm fighting for us. Just hold on a little while. We'll beat this. I promise. I love you, Jessa Mae McGarrett, my daughter. Keep your head up. Love, Dad."

I stopped and mulled the last part over in my head before adding, "p.s. Please don't do anything stupid or dangerous while you're not under my care. I really don't want to get a call to hear that you're in the hospital."

I laid down my pen and carefully folded the pieces of paper together. I unlocked my top drawer and laid it next to her Christmas gift. I had gotten her the Calamity Jane vinyl signed by Doris Day. She had been searching for it for years, or so she said and I just so happened to know a guy who was in to buying collectible records. It was in perfect condition, but in order for me to keep is a Christmas present I had to keep at the office. I smiled at the nosiness that was Jessa and suddenly I felt like everything would be alright. She would be back, I just knew it.

* * *

 **I know it has been well over a month since I have updated. I can't apologize enough for that! I hope this chapter somewhat helps you forgive me! I am just about finished with school so I should have much more free time to write and update my stories! Thank you all for your patience and your continued support. What did you think about this chapter? Reviews are always welcomed!**

 **See you soon,**

 **Theatrefreak10**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Alright, our best bet of winning the guardianship appeal is if we can prove that Jessa is better off staying in your custody." Odell Martin stated.

We had taken over the conference room and the entire table was covered in different laws and forms. We had been at this for two solid days and I felt yet another slow headache work it's way up just before settling behind my eyes. My fingers worked my temples as I tried to register what he had just told me.

"We need evidence, right, I can do that. I'm good at that." My words came out in a confused tumble and Martin met my gaze with a sad smile.

"That's right, buddy, dig up some evidence and we'll win this battle."

I nodded my head, "Right, yeah, okay. I'll dig up some evidence." I pushed through the glass door and was met by four expectant pairs of eyes; everyone, including Jerry, was waiting for some good news. "I've gotta dig up some evidence. Martin says if we can find some proof that Jessa is safer with me then we could win."

"Alright, perfect. Where should we start, boss?" Kono asked heading over to the computer table.

"What- no! You guys don't have to. We don't all need to be consumed by this." I shook my head and my hands rested on my hips, one hand firmly secured on the top of the gun that was forever stapled to my side.

They all gave me their best glares. "Listen, Steve, Jessa may be your daughter, but she's our niece. We're a family and we're doing this. The more eyes we have searching for proof, the better chance we have of finding more. We're going to win this fight together. We go in together, we come out together. That's our team, that's our family." Chin said pointedly.

I nodded my head and an easy smile spread across my face, "Alright. Kono, you think you can find all the case files from when Jes was taken away from the Wrights in the beginning? Danno, can you put together the files we have on their kidnap of her? Chin and Jerry, you guys mind digging up anything Susan Wright might be trying to hide?"

No one gave a confirmation, they all parted ways and began their tasks. A sigh of relief escaped me and I let my shoulders fall a little. We could do this and we would do this. That girl was the one thing that kept me sane and we all knew how bad it would be without her, for all of us. I squared my shoulders again and turned to leave.

"Hey, Steve, where you headed?" Danny questioned, case files in hand.

"Martin said that they're allowing Susan to have visiting privileges. He's been in contact with the governor and they made an arrangement with the judge for me to have the same." I smiled, "I am going to go see my daughter."

His smile matched my own and before heading out of the building I stopped in my office to grab the letter I had written to Jessa. I didn't know whether I would plan on giving it to her or not, but I decided to bring it with me anyways. I climbed into my truck and was on the road in no time.

The group home was fifteen minutes away from HQ and it felt like I was being stopped by every single red light. I grumbled to myself as I came to my fourth red light the place was supposed to be just ahead. I was so close. Finally the light turned green and the large truck lurched forward as I hit the gas.

My eyes stayed trained to the right as I searched for the sign. Morning-Side's Home for Teens. The pale yellow sign caught my attention and I pulled into the parking lot in front of the offices. I tucked the folded letter into my back pocket before making my way up to the glass door.

The inside of the home was void of any emotion. The walls were a stark white and didn't have any pictures or posters. I hated that Jessa was stuck in a place so depressing.

I walked into the offices and waited for the director to meet with me. My fingers drummed against my knees as I sat in the small chair just outside the office. My thoughts ran to the girl who had become my life and my daughter.

"Ah, yes, Commander McGarrett! Thank you for waiting for me! I hadn't gotten the chance to tell Jessa that you would be visiting her." The director was a portly man. He had a round face with bulging blue eyes. He held out his hand, "Sorry, Carson Hathaway."

I took his hand and firmly shook it, "I assume that Ms. Croft filled you in on the situation."

Carson Hathaway nodded, "Quite odd, really. I can't imagine why someone, let alone two people, would go to so much trouble to gain custody of a girl who will be eighteen in a short time."

"Jessa is an extraordinary girl." I said through clenched teeth.

"Right, of course. Let me take you to her." He led me out of the offices and towards a narrow hallway, "We really pride ourselves on our well-maintained home for the teens and we have some of the best supervisors in the state."

"Mhm." I stated, my eyes surveying the area as we walked down a bland hallway. We came to a stop just at the end; a lonely door secluded from the rest.

Hathaway smiled, but it was more of a grimace, "Here we are." He knocked on the door, but no one answered. "That's odd."

I stood alert, acutely aware that Hathaway thought Jessa should be answering the door. He turned the knob and the door opened to reveal a somewhat empty room. One of the two beds was perfectly made. The desks that separated them had countless papers strewn about, the only proof that someone lived here. I walked over, examining the writing. It was definitely Jessa's.

"You can wait here. I'll go talk to Lisa, she's the head supervisor for the girls. She's bound to know where Jessa has gone off to." With that he turned and left.

For a moment, I let myself take in the room. It was bland just like the rest of the group home. There were no pictures or awards on any of the walls. It was so I unlike her bedroom at home. Jessa wasn't very big on material things, but she loved to take pictures. She loved to hold on to memories and it was so odd to be in a place that she was staying where there were no evidence of any sort of memory.

My hand ran the length of her bed, stopping when it felt pointed edges. I lifted up the blankets and was surprised to find a picture frame. It was a photo of Jessa and me. The corners of my mouth turned up at the sneakiness of my daughter. That's when I thought about the letter that was stashed in my back pocket. I took it out and folded it into the back of the frame where I found two other pictures. I knew exactly what ones they were so I didn't bother with looking at them. I slid the frame back under the covers just as I heard footsteps growing closer.

* * *

I was sitting beneath my favorite oak tree, writing yet another letter to my dad. Honestly, I had no idea why I even did it, he would never be able to get them. Susan Wright made sure of that. I sighed and closed the journal; I would finish the letter later.

My head rested against the rough bark of the base of the tree and I closed my eyes. The Hawaiian sun was still blazing hot even though we were well into December. Some days I missed the snow of the Midwest, but Hawaii had become my home. Christmas was quickly approaching. A week's time and it would be upon us. I longed to spend it with my family, but I knew that it wouldn't be possible.

A shadow fell over me and my eyes popped open, it was Lisa, "Hey, Jessa. Mr. Hathaway has been looking for you. He wants to see us in your room."

"Okay..." I gave her a skeptical look and pushed myself off the ground. I followed behind her and all the way down to my lonely corner of the house.

"Sorry for the delay. She's right here." Lisa spoke, to what I assumed was Mr. Hathaway. I walked into my bedroom and almost had a heart attack. It wasn't Mr. Hathaway at all.

"Dad- what are- you can't-" I couldn't settle on a greeting, I was to shocked.

He smiled, "Hey, Jes."

"I'll leave you two alone." Lisa nodded and left.

"You shouldn't be here." I whispered.

"And why not?" Dad asked, walking towards me.

I sighed, "It's going to make matters worse. The kids here already think I'm some psychotic murderer. Now, I'm getting a visit from the leader of Five-O, that'll only confirm their suspicions. Let's not forget that we could get in so much trouble with the court."

His hands rested on my shoulders, squeezing gently, "I was given permission from the judge to visit you for two hours each day until our case was finally in court. Susan also has the same liberty."

"What?" My eyes grew wide, "You can come visit me? Really?!"

Dad's laugh filled the dull room, "That is what I am doing now."

Before I knew what I was doing, my arms wrapped around his strong frame and I felt the tension and fear release from me. The journal that was in my hand now laid on the floor. "I've missed you so much." I breathed in his rugged comforting scent.

"I've missed you too, kid." He placed a kiss to the top of my head.

Suddenly, I pulled back, "Susan Wright can visit too?"

"Yes, I'm surprised she hasn't tried to already." Dad said.

"She can't think I would possibly want to see her!" I exclaimed in frustration, my hands went up the my hair and I tugged at the roots.

"Jes-" he said cautiously.

"No!" I interrupted, "She honestly believes that after she'd ruined my life and torn me away from my family that I would want to see her?!"

Dad's hands laid on my tensed shoulders once again, "She hasn't ruined your life, she's just caused a problem. One that we're going to fix and it'll be gone from your mind in no time."

I looked at him with skepticism, "Do I have to meet with her?"

"I'm not sure if it will be enforced that you agree to her visitations. I'll check on that for you." He smiled easily.

"Okay, good." and then it hit me. The magnitude of the situation that was happening right now, "You came to see me?"

"Of course I did!" Dad laughed, shaking his head a little at my insane question, "You are my daughter after all."

"I am?" The question was out before I had time to suppress it. Dad looked taken aback by the question. He gently pulled me towards the bed and we sat down. For a long while there was nothing but silence as I felt him weighing those two words I had said as a inquiry. The void of speech left me in a slight panic and it brought out an unusual rambling from me.

"I didn't mean it like that. It was just one of those things that pops out accidentally and you don't really have time to stop it. I swear that's not what I meant. I'm not questioning our family. I was just surprised. I mean, I wasn't sure if the whole Susan Wright fighting for custody of me was actually a good thing or not." I paused for a moment and then realized what I had said, "Ugh, I meant, I didn't know if this was like your chance to re-evaluate your life because maybe you don't want a burden in it and wow, I'm just really messing things up now. Please say something."

"You are my daughter, Jes." He rubbed a hand over the shadow of his beard, "You'll always be my daughter. There's nothing to re-evaluate. You're my family, you're apart of a large weird family and I'm sorry if you haven't been comfortable with that. Do you need to re-evaluate our situation?"

"Oh gosh, no! Never! I love it, I do. I was just nervous that this whole situation was showing you a different path and I didn't know what that would mean for me. I don't want to be given to Susan."

He nodded his head, relief washing over his features, "You won't be. Like I said we're working on it. If we can find what we need we'll move up the court day as soon as possible."

"That's good. I can live with that." I whispered, "Dad? I love you."

A strong arm wound itself around me and I was pulled into his side, "I love you too, kid, more than you'll ever know."

We stayed like that for a few minutes: just father and daughter. It felt good to be with my dad again even if it were only for a short period. His phone rang and it jolted me from my thoughts.

"What's up, Danny?" Dad asked, his brows furrowed slightly. I could quite make out what Danny was saying on the other end so I was only left with Dad's side of the conversation. "Okay, you have to give some something more than that... Of course it's important to me, but I am with Jessa right now so... Okay, I'm on my way."

"Everything alright?" I asked as he quickly stood up.

"Yeah, Danno found some interesting information. I'm sorry that I have to cut this visit short, but I promise I'll be back tomorrow and we can do anything you want for two full hours." He smiled pleadingly.

I laughed, "It's okay! Go! I'll be okay now!"

Dad nodded as if to reassure himself of that. He brought me into a tight hug and kissed the top of my head, "Don't forget that you have my last name. Permanently. So that makes you my daughter. Permanently. I love you and be careful."

"I do." The smile worked its way onto my face, "I love you too and I promise, I'll try. Now, go! Whatever it is, it sounds important."

He walked towards the door and the Lester bound journal that laid on my floor caught my attention. "Oh wait! I have something for you." I tore out the few pages of the letter and folded them together, "Here, but please don't read it until after you've gone."

Dad nodded, dropped one last kiss to my forehead and was gone around the corner. I listened to the sound of his retreating footsteps and sighed. After awhile I went over to my bed and pulled back the covers to reveal my picture frame. I pulled it out and took the back off. Instead of finding the familiar photographs of my family I found a folded up piece of paper.

I made quick work of unfolding the paper and nearly choked on air when I realized it was my dad's handwriting and letterhead. He had found my secret stash and had left me a letter. I could only smiled at the thought of how easily he discovered this little secret and how he had simply tucked the note into the frame without even telling me.

* * *

 **I hope you enjoyed this somewhat longer chapter! Please review and let me know what you think! Thank you for your continued support and patience! I am officially done with school so I have a lot more time to focus on my writing! Chapter 7 is in the works! Usually I have some clue where I want to take my stories, but this one has continually thrown me for a loop! I am just as clueless about what happens next as you all are! :)**

 **Later gators!**

 **Theatrefreak10**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

I stared at the pages until the words started to blur together. Everything just became one big, black ink blob and I rubbed my eyes. I had been staring at college applications for hours now and I still hadn't gotten anywhere with them. I knew what I wanted long term, but I had no idea what my short term was supposed to look like.

I couldn't discuss it with Dad because the only time we are allowed to talk to each other is during his daily two-hour visit, but he hasn't been here in four days. When day two rolled around and Dad still hadn't come to see me I started to panic. He had promised to visit me every day and he never breaks his promises where I am concerned. I panicked right through to day three when Lisa brought me a phone message from him.

He had gotten tied up in a case and it wouldn't be finished for a few more days. I could live with that and it didn't bother me. My dad was dedicated to his work and what he does saves lives: it saved mine. So how could I be upset with him?

I stood up from the desk and a searing pain ripped through my right leg. I rolled my sweatpants up and looked at the six-inch scar on my knee. It was flaming red, which means that I irritated it by not allowing my leg to stretch properly for the last seven hours. It was going on eleven at night and by now the group home had an eerie quiet calm to it. No noises came from the hallway as I crawled under the stiff covers of my temporary bed.

Rolling onto my side, I caught a glimpse of the calendar that hung on the opposite wall. Three days until Christmas. The court date was supposed to have been two days ago, but because of the case Dad was working on it got moved back to after Christmas.

I sighed, "Five more days, Jessa. You can do it."

"Actually, the court date was kept the same." A sickeningly familiar voice spoke from my doorway.

I bolted up and out of bed, standing in the farthest place I could get to. I watched as Susan Wright stepped closer to me and I felt my breathing stop. "What are you doing here?" My voice came out even and coldly angered.

"I officially have full custody of you, Elizabeth." Susan smiled evilly.

"No- no- No! You do not! And that's, that's not my name."

She stepped closer and I backed further towards the wall, "You don't believe me? Here are the papers from the judge!" I snatched them from her hand and read them over. They looked real, but they had to be a forgery. "See, Elizabeth, you are mine now."

"STOP CALLING ME THAT!" I yelled. Why didn't anyone know she was here? How could they not know I was yelling?

"Why? It is your birth name after all."

I bit my lip. By birth I was Elizabeth Susan Wright and even the thought of the name made me want to cry. That name was tied to a lot of pain and scars. It was something I had given up when the Lawrence's adopted me and I hadn't thought about it very much since then. "I know these are fake." I whispered.

Susan cackled, "Do you now? Pray tell, how?"

"I have taken many law courses and I know the difference between a legal document and whatever this is." I said more forcefully.

"Well, it's too bad that Mr.- what was his name again? Oh yes, it is too bad that Mr. Hathaway does not! He thought they were completely real and he's already signed off on them. We are leaving. Now!" She grabbed my arm and yanks me forward. As she does so, she makes me knock over the lamp and it falls onto the floor, the glass light bulb shatters into a million pieces.

My hip collides with the corner of my desk and I am sure I will have a bruise not only on my wrist, but now on my hip as well. I am stronger than this, at least I should be. I fight her and for a moment I think I might actually come out on top. The thought is had too soon as I feel a familiar twinge in my neck and before it all goes dark I remember the panic button Steve installed into the bracelet he gave to me for my birthday.

My fingers feel for the small sun token that dangles from the leather braid and I push the button. Relief washes through me as I feel it vibrate and I know a message was sent to every member of Five-O's phone. I let the darkness take over finally and I can only pray that they get to me in time.

* * *

It is going on day four of little to no contact with Jessa and I am slowly starting to go insane. I sent her a message about being swamped with a new case, but little does she know that she is our new case. Danny, Kono, Chin, and Jerry have all been searching day and night for a lead that Martin could use to win the case and they have yet to turn anything up.

My hands find the familiar edges of the picture frame that contains probably my favorite photo of Jessa and I. It was her birthday and by the end of the night she was clearly exhausted. I had picked her up and just as I did so she snuggled in closer, her arms instinctively wrapped around my neck. Kono had taken the picture and I had immediately framed it.

I let out a shaky breath and ran a hand over my face. We had to get her back. There was no way I could survive without my daughter in my life.

A knock sounded at the door and I looked up. The whole team was gathered just outside with eager looks on their faces. I waved them in, curious as to what they had.

"We have it." Danny grinned, "We've got all the evidence that will bring Susan Wright to her knees."

I felt my heart miss a beat as I waited with bated breath. "Let's hear it."

Kono dropped a handful of files onto the desk in front of me, "So the reason I was struggling to find something was because all of Jessa's original court case documents are sealed. Getting them unsealed was a challenge because they weren't even under her legal name. They were under her birth name."

"Birth name? It's not Jessa Mae?" I quirked an eyebrow.

"No, actually it's Elizabeth Susan. It looks like she had her name changed when the Lawrence's adopted her. Anyways, I found that Susan actually testified in her brother's defense during the trial. She said that the claims made against him were preposterous and she fought hard to have the charges dropped."

I ran my hand over the scruff on my chin, "If Susan Wright didn't know that Jessa existed and that she had been cut out of her brother's life before Jes was born, why did she testify?"

"Exactly." Kono gives me a pointed look and I nod.

"Which leads to the next pile of evidence." Chin says as he nudges Jerry forward.

"Uh, right. This is really difficult for me to show you because I think of Jessa as a niece and seeing this level of abuse just was, well, it was awful." Jerry mumbles as he lowers his head.

"Jerry, it's okay. I understand. Thank you for protecting Jessa and me, but I need to see it."

He nods slowly and opens up a folder. The pictures are gruesome and it makes me angry, but anger will do me no good at this moment, "So, when Jessa was first taken by CPS they did a body examine for abuse and they photographed the bruises. They weren't able to determine how many people were involved in her abuse then, but with further examination I can come to the strong conclusion that there were three people. Two of which are consistent with the bruising patterns that Laura and Bill left this last time, but there's also another pattern. We cannot be for sure that it was Susan, but-"

I cut him off, "It was."

Jerry nods in agreement and everyone goes quiet as I continue to study the pictures. I focus in on one picture in particular. You can clearly see Jessa's face and the faint outline of hand marks that line her throat. She looks so young and vulnerable in the photo that it makes me physically ache. If only I had known her then, I would have ended the abuse so quickly and I probably would have ended up in jail.

Danny clears his throat and I catch his eyes, "There's something else. We always thought there might have been a third party involved in the Lawrence's murder and Jessa's kidnapping…"

"And there was."

"In the photos of Jessa after we found her you can see the distinct third pattern." He shrugs, "I don't think it's a coincidence that Susan shows up here five months after her brother took Jessa and takes you to court for custody. I think she is trying to finish what Bill started and if that is true… Jessa is, she's not safe in that group home."

Just as Danny finishes all of our phones beep simultaneously. I pull mine out only to see the red, panic mode flashing. I jump out of my chair, "Kono!"

"Already on it, Boss!" we all fly to the computer as she pulls up the panic alert's specs, "It's Jessa's. Looks like she pressed it at the home, but she is now moving pretty quickly."

My phone rings and I answer it without looking, "Commander McGarrett."

"Commander, it's Lisa from Moring-Side. Jessa, she's- well, she's gone. I heard some noise coming from her room so I went to check it out and she wasn't there. The lamp was shattered on the floor though. Mr. Hathaway says that Susan Wright stopped by earlier with all of the legal documents from the judge. They granted her custody at the trial and she had Mr. Hathaway sign off on it. I- I am so sorry, Commander." The young woman clearly was distraught.

"Thank you for calling me, but I need to go." I hung up and quickly relayed the message to the group.

"This just confirms what we all know. Susan Wright is here to finish off what her brother started. We need to get to Jessa and fast."

* * *

 **I know it has been such a long tim since I have updated my stories! I'm truly sorry for that! There's only a few more chapters left in this story and I am contemplating on whether or not I am going to write another in the Jessa Lawrence McGarrett series. Tell me your thoughts! What did you think of this chapter? I am going to try and update more regularly now! Also, if you like NCIS, I am working on a story for that fandom right now! I would love it if you would check it out!**

 **Thank you!**

 **Theatrefreak10**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"You're kidding right?! Jerry, there's nothing here! You must have given us the wrong location!" I shouted over the communications system.

I could hear Jerry grumble and then speak up, "Steve, I swear to you, the warehouse is the only thing that is remotely close to the cell tower that Susan's phone pinged off of. Maybe you're head's just not in it-"

"You want to finish that sentence buddy?" I found the threat easily slipping off of my tongue.

"Whoa, seize fire. Jerry, just give us the coordinates one more time?" Danny spoke calmly.

"Fine." Jerry sighed and spouted off the coordinates I found on my phone's GPS. I let out a frustrated noise and Danny met my stare.

"Thanks, Jerry. You were right. The team is just going to dig a little deeper into the warehouse. We'll let you know if we find anything." With that we both shut off our comms.

I raised my gun and started towards the seemingly empty hallway. Danny and I currently were located in what seems to be the warehouse's old work room. It was open and held miscellaneous junk that had sat in here for years. Chin and Kono we're searching the outside perimeter for anything.

"Steve, Jerry was right." I gave Danny a challenging glare, "Your head's not in the right place. Which is completely understandable, but maybe you should sit this one out?"

"I know, for a fact, that you did not just suggest I sit out on the search for my own daughter. A friend wouldn't do that. I wouldn't do that if it was Grace we were trying to find." I continued down the hallway, "My head is in it, Danny. We're only wasting time here though. They aren't here."

I heard Danny's tentative steps behind me and for a while it was silent. "You're right." He said, "You would never ask me to sit this out if it were Grace. I'm sorry. You're also wrong though. This isn't wasting time. They left something behind and we're going to find it."

I nodded my head just as we came to a door. I would have missed it had I kept going. The only reason I noticed it was because of the piece of plaid fabric stuck to the hinge. It must have torn off of someone's shirt. "I've got a door." I whispered.

"What are you talking about? There's nothing here, Steve. It's just more concrete." I pointed at the small hinges and Danny's face showed the signs of realization.

I felt around for any sort of handle. My fingers grazed across the inner edge until they felt a small circular cut out. I pulled on it and the door slid into the surrounding wall. I don't know what I thought I would find upon opening the door, but I sure wasn't thinking it would be what I currently stood in front of.

It was a twelve by twelve concrete room. Pictures scattered the walls and everything was connected by a thin red string. Documents upon documents were strewn across the floor and I stepped closer.

I couldn't even hear Danny breathing as I looked at the photos on the wall. Each and everyone centered around Jessa. Starting from the time she was out of the Wright's custody and ending in just before she went to the group home. Newspaper articles were strung up with the photos.

"What the-" Danny began.

"She's been plotting this since the beginning. Her and her brother have been scheming all this time and she is finishing it. Jessa was right and I didn't listen to her."

"Hey, Steve. Look at this." I turned to see Danny squatting near one of the back corners, clearly examining something.

I stalked over and found lots of brown hair. "I bet you anything that's Jessa's. They were here." We bagged the hair just as Chin and Kono walked in.

"Holy cow." Kono gasped.

"Kono, Chin, you guys stay here and get all of this. I've gotta run this over to the lab. Let us know if you find anything." I didn't give them time to answer as I walked out of the room.

"Not a complete dead end, right?" Danny questioned.

I sighed, "Not completely, but it's still not enough."

* * *

The pounding in my head was becoming all to familiar and I groaned. I was lying on something cold and metal. My ear was firmly pressed against it and I could hear rushing air. I was moving, that much I knew for sure. I forced my eyes to open, but I could barely see a thing. Save for the light coming through small slots above me, it was completely pitch black.

I attempted to sit up, but pain courses through my side and the memories came rushing back to me. Susan had dragged me out of the group home, but before that she threw me into the corner of my desk. I let my hand carefully probe my side and my breath hitched in my throat.

It had to be completely bruised. From the top of my rib cage to the bottom of my hip. I carefully pushed myself up into a sitting position, ignoring the pain this time. I slid back until I came into contact with a solid wall and I let my head rest against it. My breathing was heavy as if I had just got done running a marathon.

I needed to rest before I attempted to figure out where I was. It would do me no good if I couldn't control my breathing. For a second, I began to feel claustrophobic. The darkness that enveloped me and not being able to know where I was took over. I felt myself slipping into a panic attack, but this time I didn't have anyone with me that could help.

I tried to remember what Dad had told me to do. Four breaths in, four breaths out, five breaths in, five breaths out, and so on. I could do this.

I took a deep breath in, "One, two, three, four," and I exhaled, "one, two, three, four." I continued on until I felt the panic attack slipping away. It took me until fifteen counts, but I managed to do it by myself.

I forced myself to stand up. While I couldn't exactly depend on my legs to keep me in an upright position, I leant against the wall for support. I slowly made my way along the wall; one hand on it for support and the other out in front of me so I could tell when I hit another wall. I continued for about eleven yards before I felt another solid wall.

A patch of light was directly on it and I found that it wasn't a wall, but the door to a semi-trailer. I was locked away in the back of a semi truck. I collapsed back to the floor of the trailer and let out a frustrated sigh.

From what I can tell, it's just me back here. That's good, it means I can try to figure out a way to escape without being seen. I racked my brain of any knowledge I had on semi trucks. I know that some of them have a panel in the trailer that you can lift to get to the underside of it. If I could find that I could potentially escape through it.

The only problem is, if the semi were to still be in motion, I would potentially die. I needed to figure out how to get in touch with Steve. I felt the familiar weight of my bracelet on me and a crazy idea came to my mind.

If I held the sun down for a longer amount of time it would send a longer burst and if I held it down for a short amount of time it would send a short burst. Morse code.

I took a deep breath and pressed it three short times, indicating an s. Then I let a long pause before pressing it one more short time indicating an e. Another long pause followed before I pressed it for two long bursts, meaning an m. Finally, two short bursts to indicate an i.

The Morse code coupled with the bracelet pinging my location should let them know where I was at. At least I hoped it would.

* * *

"What in the world?" I exclaimed as I made my way into the common area of the Five-O headquarters.

"It looks like we're getting more panic calls from Jessa." Jerry stated as he furiously typed on the keypad, "I don't understand. She keeps sending them out in weird spurts."

I raised an eyebrow, but before I could question him, Danny asked, "Weird spurts?"

Jerry nodded and then the panic sound came again. Three short panics, a pause, one short panic, a pause, two long panics, a pause, and two short panics. The pattern continued. "It's Morse code. She's using Morse code. Three short panics is an S, one short panic is an e, two long panics is an m, and two short panics is an i. Semi. Jerry, where are the panics coming from?"

"Highway 85." He said.

"Jessa is telling us that she's in a semi. She's in a semi on Highway 85. Jerry, I need you to pull up the closest satellite and see if you can't run a heat signature on the semis on Highway 85. She has to be in one of them." I gripped the edge of the table until my knuckles turned white, "We're coming, Jes. We're coming."

* * *

 **Wow, it has been months since I updated and I am so terribly sorry. School has kept me utterly busy and I just never found the time. I promise my stories will come back in full swing soon! I hope you enjoyed this update and let me know if you want me to continue the Jessa McGarrett storyline! I love hearing from you all! Even when I take an unexpected hiatus! :)**

 **Soon again, I promise!**

 **Theatrefreak10**


	9. Chapter 9

Ch. 9

With every bump of the road it sent me flying into the air. I was sure to have more bruises than I'd had in a long while. I groaned as I came into contact with the metal flooring of the semi. I slid myself into a corner and prayed that Steve would find me quickly. There wasn't much else to do, but pray.

The semi came to a screeching halt and it jolted me forward. I tumbled closer to the end of the trailer, waiting for what was to come next. The heavy door slid open and my eyes were accosted by the harsh sunlight.

"Get up!" A shadow shouted from the, now opened, door.

I stood up carefully and walked towards the edge. My eyes adjusted to the light and I found that I was at the airport. I tentatively stepped down from the trailer and came face to face with Susan Wright.

"Well, good morning, Jessa! Are you ready to get off this horrific island?" Her smile was sickening.

"If you think that you'll ever get away with this, you may want to think again. My dad will find me eventually. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but one day he'll find me and you will be sorry." My words came out through gritted teeth.

Susan raised her hand and slapped me hard across the cheek, "Move! And I don't want to hear another word out of you! We are boarding a plane and Steven McGarrett will never be able to get to you ever again. If you speak to me while we are in view of others, you will address me as your aunt. Understood?"

I bit my lip and nodded, following behind Susan. One of her little henchmen brought up the rear as I had two on either side of me. I frowned, knowing that I probably would be boarding a plane today.

* * *

"Do we have anything?" I grit out. My question was met by shifting eyes and I slammed my hand on the table, "Dang it. How long does it take to run a simple heat signature analysis?!"

Kono's small hand rested on my tensed forearm, "We're doing all we can, Boss."

I shook my head, "It's not good enough. We need to be doing more. This is my daughter we're searching for."

"We all care about Jessa." She whispered.

"No, no. This is MY daughter." I growled.

Kono retreated and Danny gave me one of his famous looks, "Steve, let's have a talk."

I straightened and rested my hands on the top of my utility belt, "A talk? Now?" He raised an eyebrow and I rolled my eyes, following him into my office. "What is so important that you needed to pull me away from searching for my daughter?"

"We get it. Jessa is your daughter, but don't you dare say we all don't have something to lose either. We're a family, as much as I hate to admit it. We all want to find her, but you need to stop. You have got to stop treating everyone like you're the only person in here with something to lose." I stepped forward to say something, but Danny held up his hand, "No, don't you dare pull the Grace card on me. You've used it already and it's not working this time. I know I'd be miserable if I were in your shoes. I know, but I also know that Grace means something to everyone in here. They'd work hard to find her safely, just like they are for Jessa. So stop being so bullheaded and let's find our girl."

I sighed and ran a shaky hand over my exhausted eyes. I took a minute to compose my breath before mumbling, "You're right."

He grinned easily, "Hm? I didn't quite catch that. Mind saying it a little louder?"

"You know exactly what I said." I narrowed my eyes at his laughing form.

"Steve, we've got something!" Chin nodded towards the screen. I moved quickly towards the center of the room just as Jerry was pulling things onto the middle screen.

Jerry smiled reassuringly at me and began, "So, what we have here is the semi that Jessa is in. You can see three in the front of the truck and one in the trailer. It looks like they are heading east. I followed them for awhile and they haven't changed directions, so whatever it is they're going to is east."

"East on Highway 85?" I racked my brain to figure out what was at the end of their journey.

"This is just hypothetical," Kono stated and all eyes shifted to her, "If we're going to the airport, don't we travel east on 85?"

It clicked, "They're going to get her on a plane. They're going to make a break for the mainland. We've got to go now! Jerry, call the governor and tell her that she needs to have TSA shut down all outgoing planes. I don't care what you say to her to get her to do it, we can't have Susan Wright boarding any plane. Let's go!"

* * *

I ran my hand over my hair, checking to make sure it wasn't a wild mess from the ride I had. Susan had cut it off to my shoulders when we were back at the warehouse. I looked around the bustling airport and hoped someone would notice that something was amiss here.

One of the henchmen shoved my back and I stumbled into Susan. "If you so much as glance the wrong way at anyone, we're going to end you." She grit out.

I nodded my head and continued on. We came up to the TSA agent and Susan had me go first. I handed him my identification and ticket, waiting for him to give me the okay to go to the metal detectors. I smiled at him, made polite conversation, and hoped that it looked normal.

"Hm, that's interesting." He quirked a brow at the screen of his scanner.

I bit my lip and shifted nervously. "Is there a problem, sir?" My voice was a barely audible whisper.

He gave me a reassuring smile, "Oh, no. It seems there's a glitch with my scanner. It happens quite often. Let me grab my captain and we'll get you to your destination."

He stepped away and left me at the mercy of Susan. "What did you do?"

"Nothing, I swear!" I cried softly.

"You better not have, otherwise we'll kill your precious father." She squeezed my arm as much as she could.

I roughly pulled it away, "I said, I didn't do anything."

Susan went to say something, but before she could the agent and his captain were at the desk again. "I am terribly sorry for the inconvenience, Miss McGarrett. Are you traveling with anyone?" The captain asked.

"Yes," I smiled stiffly, "I'm traveling with my aunt."

He nodded his head, "I see, if you wouldn't mind, I'm going to need you to come over to the TSA office with me."

I felt Susan push her way towards me, "No one is going anywhere other than to the plane we have tickets for."

Guns were drawn from the henchmen and the TSA agents drew their's as well. I felt the tip of a gun in my back and my breath caught in my chest.

"Easy, ma'am, no need to become hostile." The captain spoke.

"Please, sir, just let us go." I whispered, my eyes pleading with him to follow.

He shook his head, "I'm sorry, I have strict instructions to not allow you through. Now you can come willingly or forcibly. You decide."

"Jefferson." Susan stated and one of the men from behind me shot the captain dead. I jumped at the sound of the gunshot and chaos erupted. People were being ushered out by police officers as I stayed completely still, the gun's barrel still pressed to my back.

"Drop the gun, Susan." Came a familiar deep voice from behind us.

Susan whipped us around and kept the gun to me, "Nice of you to join us, McGarrett."

My dad's eyes searched mine and I gave him a reassuring smile. "Drop the gun, Susan, I won't ask again."

"Don't you know how these things work, Commander? If you let Jessa and me leave on the plane, no harm will come to her. If you keep making this harder for me, I'm going to have to do something we both might regret." She shoved the gun into me and I tumbled forward.

My eyes met Dad's once again and I shook my head, "It's okay, I'll be okay. Just take her down, Dad."

"Shut up!" Susan shouted, "Look at that, Jessa playing the role of the sacrifice. What is it going to be, McGarrett? Allow your daughter to live or let me shoot her?"

The gun pressed further into my skin. I looked at my father and let him know that I was okay. He searched my eyes still, but I knew what he found. There was no hurt, no pain, no animosity. All he would find in them was the love a girl would have for her father.

The next moments were crucial. The noises surrounding our battle seemed to dull into a muffled roar as I watched my dad, in slow motion, fire off his gun. I felt the impact from something behind me rather than heard it. I fell to the ground in a crumpled mess and watched through blurred vision as my dad rushed to my side.

"Stay with me, Jes. Come on, sweetheart, stay with me. We've got a lot of living left to do, you and I." I saw the tears in his eyes and I knew.

"I love you, Dad." I choked out.

His tears dropped onto my face and he shook his head, "No, Jessa, no. You're going to be fine. Stay with me."

I smiled at him and felt my eyes grow heavy. A sense of peace washed over me and I slipped into the awaiting darkness.

*The End*

* * *

 **The last chapter of this story! It's been a long time coming and I know some of my faithful readers were beginning to grow frustrated. Let me address some of your comments. I had not planned on taking a leave absence and I actually had this started a while back. Life gets busy and things happen. I am only human and I have had to deal with some pretty heavy stuff as of late. I am sorry for neglecting my stories, but something had to give. I appreciate the sentiments you sent, but I hope you will be understanding of my absence.**

 **Now onto the real reason why we're all here! If you made it through this last chapter let me know your thoughts! :) Does Jessa's story feel finalized?**

 **Until we meet again,**

 **Theatrefreak10**


	10. Author's Note

My readers,

As many of you have commented, I have found the need to post this. While some think that I had not had this ending planned all along, I would like to clear this up. I had this certain end in mind since the beginning. When I go into a story, I write the beginning and the end. Whatever is to come in between the two is what I leave up to my mind at the time.

Would you all think of me so horrible that I'd end the story on a cliffhanger? Let me assure you, this is not the end of Jessa McGarrett's story. I cannot tell you how I plan to continue it, somethings must be kept a surprise! ;)

Until the next chapter in the saga,

Theatrefreak10


	11. Author's Note 2

A new story is up for this series! Hope you all enjoy!

Theatrefreak10


End file.
